Diary, cos it's been a while.

Me

Haven't written a diary in so long because too many people I knew were reading them, which was a bit weird when people would just start talking about bits from them in the pub. I've left it long enough to have lost my readership now - but let's see if I can actually get up off my arse and write.

I'm going away loads at the moment which is nice, parties hither and thither in different cities, including an FA Cup all dayer and barbecue on Saturday. Summer's here yay!

Books

Read Russell Brand's Booky Wook in a day on Saturday. Very funny, unputdownable, touching, and has a great take on the joy of performing and lust for fame.

Also reading "Riddley Walker" by Russell Hoban, a dark and depressing first-hand account of life in east Kent 2000 years after a nuclear war. It's written in a future-primitive language which makes it slow going, but this is a fantastic book, full of mystery and a horrible yearning for past, better times. Will Self cites it as a direct inspiration for The Book of Dave, and the similarities are very strong.

"Hurrah for the Blackshirts! Fascists and Fascism in Britain Between the Wars" by Martin Hugh is as in-depth and serious as you'd expect, but very readable. He takes a broad view, looking at fascim's nineteenth century, occultish roots, and why people were attracted to it, rather than dryly listing names and dates. It's entertyaining as well: a surprising amount of early fascists were female to male transvestites, and Hugh doesn't shy away from exploring why. Best history book I've read in ages.

Games

Wii Fit is ace! I am of course a fat bastard, but was pleased and surprised that after a few tests the game could tell I'd been going to the gym regularly and informed me I was actually pretty fit. The amount of mini games and how fun they are is a hidden surprise considering they're not featured on the advert.

The only problem is a lack of two player option - not with two balance boards, just with you swapping over - as it is you have to log out of your user and the other player has to log back in, which is a pain. Otherwise it would be even better than Wii Sports.

Football

I don't think I can handle the play-offs, it's just too stressful. I'll probably have the radio on for the Carlisle-Leeds first leg tonight (if it's on the radio that is), but I'm going to have to drop out later on. Squeeky bum time indeed (or "smelly bum time" as a Sky Sports News presenter so memorably put it a couple of weeks ago).

David Peace was good on the South Bank Show yesterday talking about his book "The Damned United". I love the way commentators were calling the Leeds United of the 70s "a boil on the face of the game." Made me swell with pride.